Absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners, diapers, and incontinent pads are devices that are typically worn in the crotch region of an undergarment. Sanitary napkins and pantiliners are, for example, worn by women in a pair of panties that is normally positioned between the wearer's legs, adjacent to the perineum area. Sanitary napkins and pantiliners are designed to absorb and retain bodily fluids or discharges (e.g., menses) from the body of women and to prevent the wearer's body and clothing from soiling. Absorbent articles have been developed so that a liquid permeable topsheet can be positioned against the wearer's skin and can be configured to draw fluid away from the skin so that the wearer's skin remains relatively dry. The topsheet can contain multiple layers that work in conjunction with each other to be comfortable against the wearer's skin while also maintaining dryness against the skin of the wearer by providing for the rapid transfer of fluid away from the wearer's body. However, the ability of existing topsheets to remain smooth against the wearer's body is often inadequate. For instance, when the wearer moves around, the absorbent article is subjected to compressive forces between the wearer's legs. As a result, peaks and valleys can be formed in the topsheet and other layers, creating channels where fluid can pool, leading to the flow of fluid towards the edges of the absorbent article. This fluid can ultimately leak from the absorbent article, leading to soiling of the wearer's undergarments, clothing, or bedcoverings.
Meanwhile, the absorbent articles also include one or more additional layers below the topsheet that are designed to absorb and hold fluid that has entered the absorbent article. For instance, an absorbent core can be utilized to hold fluid that has passed through the liquid permeable topsheet layer to prevent the fluid from contacting the wearer's skin or from leaking outside the edges of the absorbent article. However, when the fluid enters the absorbent core, the absorbent core tends to be wetted at its upper surface. This, in turn, decreases the ability of additional fluid to flow downward and outward to the periphery of the absorbent core. As a result, additional fluid entering the absorbent article wicks sideways and leaks off of the edges of the pad instead of traveling downward into the absorbent core. Further, the fluid can pool on top of the absorbent article in situations where rapid gushes of fluid are applied to the absorbent article.
To help prevent such leakages and pooling from occurring, it is generally desirable to absorb and hold the fluids in a central region of the absorbent article. Attempts have been made to design absorbent articles, for instance, that have a thicker (i.e., three-dimensional) absorbent layer positioned in the center of the absorbent article that can trap fluid in a desired location of the absorbent article. However, such a layer is often bulky and can be uncomfortable to the wearer in that the bulkiness of the layer can prevent the absorbent article from conforming to the shape of the wearer's body. Although numerous types of three-dimensional structures have been employed in an attempt to improve the fit of absorbent articles against the body and to facilitate the capturing of excess fluid, many of these structures can be easily flattened by the compressive forces imparted during use. This results in an increased stain spread and the inability of the absorbent article to contain the fluid and corresponding stain in a central area of the structure.
In light of these problems, a need exists for an absorbent article that can draw and hold fluid in a centralized area of the absorbent article. A need also exists for an absorbent article that can prevent and mask the spread of stains resulting from a fluid insult. Further, a need exists for an absorbent article having a topsheet that can come into contact with the wearer's body and conform to the wearer's body while at the same time resisting compression in order to prevent leakage and provide an acceptable level of comfort.